Master’s

Project:

Hostess

Twinkie

December 2

2009 Nicole Wetzell

Contents Executive Summary ................................................................................................................................ 3

Background ............................................................................................................................................ 3

Strategic Decisions ................................................................................................................................. 6

New value proposition ............................................................................................................................ 7

Creative Brief .......................................................................................................................................... 8

Print ad concepts .................................................................................................................................... 9

E-mail message with promotional offer ................................................................................................ 12

Ambient ................................................................................................................................................ 13

Works Cited .......................................................................................................................................... 14

Executive Summary

The goal of this project is to increase sales of Twinkies by building brand impact and relevance

through a new integrated marketing and communications campaign. Twinkies are a golden

sponge cake with a vanilla creme filling. The snack cake was once America’s favorite snack;

however, brand awareness has decreased over the years.

Decreased advertising spending and the current healthy eating trend have lowered the impact

Twinkie has on consumers. In this project, we will address how to increase sales by 5 percent by

setting a marketing objective of halting a decline by convincing lapsed users to reconsider

Twinkie. To do this, we will communicate to lapsed users that Twinkie is still a quick and fun

way to ebb hunger. This report will also discuss how this strategy will be implemented in

marketing communications such as print advertisements, e-mail and social media.

Background

Current Market Place Conditions

Twinkie was once the number one selling snack cake in America. The golden, creme-filled

snack cake was advertised to millions of Baby Boomer kids throughout 1950 – 1970. From the

1950’s – 1980’s, the snack cakes were marketed in print and television alone or alongside other

Hostess snack products. Past advertising themes included “Hostess and kids they go

together”, “a big delight in every bite”, and “where’s the crème?” (Sullivan, 2000). The popular

snack cake was positioned as fun and entertaining – perfect for the school lunch or afternoon

snack (Hostess Snack Cakes, 2009).

Today, Twinkie only accounts for only seven percent of the snack cake market. Since the

1980’s the brand has stopped running TV commercials and limited themselves to print and in-

store advertising (Rigik, 2009). Competition has also become more fierce. Little Debbie (the

brand leader, accounting for 50 percent of the market share) Mrs. Freshley’s Creme Cakes,

Dolly Madison and Zingers have all entered the snack cake business and positioned themselves

as a kid-friendly (McKee Foods).

The Problem

Healthy eating has become the latest trend. Over the years, Twinkie has gained a reputation

for being very unhealthy. Many urban legends claim Twinkie, with all its man-made

ingredients, “can survive a nuclear holocaust along with cockroaches” or “still be okay to eat

after 25 years” (Burn, 2005). Many state and local governments have debated the idea of

creating a new sales tax on fattening and sugary foods, coined the “Twinkie Tax” (Tatge, 2004).

The Insight

Many Americans are attempting to live healthy lifestyles; however, they are

having difficulties following through. The general snack food industry still

accounts for average annual revenue of $23 billion (Snack Foods Manufacturing).

Current Twinkie users are also not concerned with healthy eating. They are more

likely to live in rural areas and purchase “bacon, aerosol-can cheese, Kool-Aid and

malt liquor” (Elmer-DeWitt). They are also not as likely to have children living in

the home (Hostess Snack Cakes, 2009).

The opportunity and rationale

There is a segment of lapsed and infrequent users who ate Twinkies as a kid,

want a tasty snack and are not concerned about their health. Between rumors

about Twinkie’s ingredients and the “Twinkie Tax,” it will be challenging to

convince healthier eaters to try the snack. Building sales will also be easier

because it is easier to convince a lapsed or infrequent user to reconsider the

product.

Strategic Decisions

• Marketing objective: Halt a decline by convincing lapsed users to reconsider Twinkie.

• Communications objective: Remind lapsed Twinkie users that it is still a fun snack for

adults.

• Rational for marketing and communications objectives: There are millions of lapsed or

infrequent users who have fun memories of eating Twinkies during childhood. Although

Americans want to eat healthier, they often fail to follow through because they still

want to indulge in good tasting food (Kirsche, 2005). Additionally, it is much easier and

cost effective to convince a lapsed user to re-consider Twinkies. Many new customers

never become repeat customers. In fact, they rarely purchase a product twice (Wollen,

2009).

• Campaign strategy: Convince “Rugged Boomers” that by having a Twinkie as a quick,

fun snack they will reconnect to their childhood while doing their favorite outdoor

activity.

• Rational for the campaign strategy: Twinkies are a quick, fun snack that ebbs hunger

until the next meal. Most adults also look back on childhood as a more fun and simple

time in life. Reconnecting Twinkie to favorite activities from childhood that have been

carried into adulthood will cause “Rugged Boomers” to look upon Twinkies favorably.

• Target market: “Rugged Boomers” are lapsed Twinkie users who ate the snack in their

childhood. They are men, 45 – 64, who most likely do not have children living at home

and earn a lower to middle income. They are not very concerned about their health.

They like outdoors activities including hunting and fishing. They are also more likely to

purchase “bacon, aerosol-can cheese, Kool-Aid and malt liquor.”

• Rational for target market: According to the United States Census Bureau, there were

38,103,272 men ages 45 – 64 in 2008 (T6-2008. Sex By Age [39] , 2009).

• Of this group there are 34 million hunters and anglers who spend an average of $76

billion annually on their favorite pastime. These people create an “economic ripple

effect,” spending another $192 billion a year on goods and services indirectly related to

hunting and angling (i.e. hotels, gas, food) (National Shooting Sports Foundation).

New value proposition

• Emotional: Twinkies are a fun snack from childhood and as an adult too.

• Rational: Twinkies are a quick way to ebb hunger until the next meal.

• Self-expressed benefit: I like to have fun and remember my childhood.

• Brand personality change: Fun, entertaining and dependable

Creative Brief

The product is: Yellow-sponge, creme-filled cake

The brand is: Fun memories

• The role of advertising

i. What do we want people to do as a result of seeing this advertising? Reconsider

Twinkie as a fun snack from childhood.

ii. How do we believe the advertising will work to achieve this? Twinkies are a

quick way to ebb hunger from childhood – a more fun and simple period of life.

• Who are we talking to? “Rugged Boomers” are lapsed Twinkie users who ate the

snack in their childhood. They are men, 45 – 64, most likely do not have children

living at home, a lower to middle income. They are not very concerned about their

health. They like outdoors activities including hunting and fishing. They are also

more likely to purchase “bacon, aerosol-can cheese, Kool-Aid and malt liquor.”

• WHAT IS THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT THING THIS ADVERTISING SHOULD

CONVEY. The advertising should reconnect Twinkies to “Rugged Boomers’”

childhood during their favorite outdoor sports.

• Why should people believe this?

i. Emotional Benefit: Twinkies are a way to reconnect to childhood – a

more fun and simple time.

• Rational Benefit: Twinkies are a quick way to ebb hunger.

• What practical considerations are there? Communication should be fun,

entertaining and dependable.

Print ad concepts

Dad rewarded you with a snack when you caught that first big one.

Remember the days when all you had to focus on was making the catch?

Reconnect to simpler times by snacking on a Twinkie.

You had one when you bagged your first rabbit.

How many will be enough with that big buck tied to your truck?

You can still treat yourself to the same reward.

Reconnect to simpler times by snacking on a Twinkie.

It may fall in the lake

Drop in the mud

Get rained or snowed on

It could even get stolen by a bear

Never fear! Twinkie – like memories – will always be there

Individually wrapped, Twinkies will stay dry on your next outdoors trip.

E-mail message with promotional offer

Re-state Strategy: Convince “Rugged Boomers” that by trying a Twinkie as a snack they

will reconnect to their childhood during their favorite outdoor activity.

Re-state target: “Rugged Boomers” are lapsed Twinkie users who ate the snack in their

childhood. They are men, 45 – 64, most likely do not have children living at home, a lower

to middle income. They are not very concerned about their health. They like outdoors

activities including hunting and fishing. They are also more likely to purchase “bacon,

aerosol-can cheese, Kool-Aid and malt liquor.”

Subject: You might not catch a 20 lb bass, but your next fishing trip can still be memorable.

Header: Remember the fluffy, golden, creme-filled snack your dad

gave you when you caught your first big one?

Tom,

Life as an adult sure isn’t what you thought it was going to be when you were a kid. But one

thing that hasn’t changed is fishing – the crisp air, the pull of the line, peace and quiet – it

all takes you back to simpler times.

The only thing that’s missing is your fun-filled, light and creamy snack from childhood.

Actually, Twinkie is here to make your next fishing trip a blast from the past. Visit

twinkie.com/fishing and order the Fish Pack1. You’ll automatically be entered to win all-

expenses paid fishing trip for you and two buddies with Jimmy Houston as your guide.

Even if you don’t win, we’ll still send two bass lures2 just for reconnecting to your favorite

childhood snack.

1 A box of Twinkies

2 Bass lures will look like a Twinkie

Ambient:The Twinkie Tunnel

Twinkie will collaborate with Cabelas, an outdoorsmen store, to build The Twinkie Tunnel in

select locations. Customers will be able to walk inside the Twinkie. The inside walls will feature

fishing and hunting tips and photos. Information about a promotion will be available at the end

of the tunnel: “Ask for the Twinkie Fish Pack at checkout and receive two bass lures.”

Works Cited Burn, D. (2005, September 15). Adpulp. Retrieved 2009, from Little Known Twinkie Facts:

http://www.adpulp.com/archives/2005/09/little_known_tw.php

Elmer-DeWitt, P. &. (n.d.). People who eat Hostess Twinkies. Time , 143 , 22. Retrieved September 20,

2009, from Time.

Hostess Snack Cakes. (2009). About Us. Retrieved September 2009, from Hostess Snack Cakes:

http://www.hostesscakes.com/about

Kirsche, M. (2005). Time is ripe for snack suppliers to bite into healthy-eating trends. Retrieved October 4,

2009, from Drug Store News: http://search.ebscohost.com

McKee Foods. (n.d.). Retrieved September 2009, from http://www.mckeefoods.com

National Shooting Sports Foundation. (n.d.). Economic Report. Retrieved Ocotober 2009, from NSSF:

http://www.nssf.org/

Rigik, E. (2009). Crazy for Cupcakes. Baking Managment .

Snack Foods Manufacturing. (n.d.). Retrieved from Hoovers: http://www.hoovers.com/snack-foods-

manufacturing/--ID__395--/free-ind-fr-profile-basic.xhtml

Sullivan, C. (2000). Where’s the Cream Filling, Resuscitating a Beloved Brand. Retrieved September 2009,

from American Journal of Business: http://www.bsu.edu/mcobwin/majb/index.php?p=283

T6-2008. Sex By Age [39] . (2009, July). Retrieved November 2009, from United States Census Bureau,

Fact Finder: http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/DTTable?_bm=y&-state=dt&-context=dt&-

ds_name=PEP_2008_EST&-mt_name=PEP_2008_EST_G2008_T006_2008&-tree_id=808&-

all_geo_types=N&-_caller=geoselect&-geo_id=01000US&-search_results=01000US&-format=&-

_lang=en

Tatge, M. (2004, February 16). Get Ready For the Twinkie Tax. Forbes , 173(3), 52-52 .

Wollen, R. (2009, July 13). Use data insights for new customers. Retrieved November 2009, from

DMNews: http://www.dmnews.com/use-data-insights-for-new-customers/article/139811/